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The AMD Athlon XP and MP : Any Real Difference?

I have been getting a ton of email from you guys asking me if the Athlon XPs do indeed run in a dual processor configuration. I have not tested this myself, but the people over at Game PC seem to have hardware laying around, so they figured they'd give it a go. Here's a clip:

Frankly, multi-processor "certification" doesn't mean much do us anymore. Intel stated the first Celerons never worked in multiprocessor. They did. AMD said the Thunderbird Athlon didn't work in multi-processor, it did as well (although, there were indeed issues with the T-Bird in SMP). Now AMD is saying the Athlon XP is for uni-processor systems only, and the Athlon MP is for multi-processor. Seeing as how the Athlon MP is around 30% more expensive compared to the Athlon XP, we'd certainly like some explanation as to why AMD is charging more for a processor that does the exact same thing as it's cheaper.

So does it work? Apparently so. Are they just as fast as the MPs? Apparently so. Will you lose warranty and support from AMD and your board manufacturer? Yep. Anyway... It's an interesting read.

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orev
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Posts: 232
Joined: 2001-11-07

#12309 Posted on: 11/07/2001 10:10 PM
There is a very simple reason that tends to get overlooked by gamers and tinkerers: business.

AMD is already quite successful in the consumer market, and they are definately making a push into the business area. Most business servers are MP systems, and since AMD didn't have one, they were losing out.

A business needs to buy a product that it knows will work out of the box and is supported by the manufacturer in the configuration they need to use it in. The MP brand is what buys them that, the XP doesn't. The brand difference might be as small as running a few extra tests on the part in an MP configuration, but if that's what it takes for AMD to certify it, so be it.

The extra $$ is really small change for a company when they get something that works, is supported, and can easily be serviced without worrying about warranty problems.
2466N-4M (4.04) | 2xXP1900 | 1024 Reg ECC | GF4 Ti4400 | LSI 22903 | 10KIII | Lian Li PC-68

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glitch
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#12310 Posted on: 11/07/2001 10:23 PM
I'm currently considering purchasing about 20 Athlons for a new cluster that will consist of dual systems. I certainly don't want to buy that many CPUs only to find they don't actual work in an MP configuration. But that is quite a bit of extra moola just for insurance.

But at the same time I really need faster CPU's, so when will there be an XP/MP at 1900, I mean 1600 MHz?

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Don't count too much on the XP not being SMP disabled. There have been rumors of AMD cutting a pin on the XP to cripple it for DP use. It seems a new speed-grade like the 1900+ would be the right opportunity to do it, but we shall see.
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orev
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#12312 Posted on: 11/07/2001 11:53 PM
Yeah, I wonder if those rumors are more FUD to scare off companies from using the XPs. It would be cool if it was.

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glitch
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#12313 Posted on: 11/08/2001 12:33 AM
Is there a page here on 2CPU that lists the different AMD motherboards for DP? If not, it might be a neat thing to add, perhaps along with some voting from the 2cpu crew as to which ones are good, etc. I know there are frequent reviews, but maybe just something that consolidates the key features of a few mobos in a table; perhaps it could be updated as new motherboards arrive.

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Vergo
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#12314 Posted on: 11/08/2001 12:43 AM
I have a pair of XP 1800+ working great in the Tiger.

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freezone
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#12315 Posted on: 11/08/2001 12:58 AM
I have been going round and round with guys on www.amdmb.com I bet they are going to say something about the 1% diff between the two setups.

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xylker
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Posts: 11
Joined: 2001-11-07

#12316 Posted on: 11/08/2001 02:39 AM
Well, this is what I learned in San Antonio on the AMD Tech Tour:
AMD WILL disable the non-MP chips ability to run in a multi-processor configuration. It has not yet been done, but it will happen.

The Engineer that was there for the Tour indicated that the parts currently shipping are, in fact, able to be used in a DP cfg., but that AMD does not support that, and has not validated them. The other news from Frank H. (the engineer) was that while the Tyan Tiger board might "work" with dual processors, it was also NOT a validated part due to the lack of ability to supply power to two Athlons through one standard ATX power connector.

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sponz
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#12317 Posted on: 11/08/2001 05:33 AM
Well, if you read my post in the forums, I have my dual xp config going. No problems...worked right off the boot up with crucial memory (seen people bitching about that a while back). DUnno. everything seems smooth atm. *knocks on wood*
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#12319 Posted on: 11/08/2001 07:30 AM
I have a setup running with 1 MP and 1 XP in a Dual Tiger board. I don't understand the difference, but when the XP was in CPU socket 0, it didn't even boot.

Switching works great - MP in socket 0 and XP in socket 1. Both are 1.53 Ghz.

James

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nipster
NOT a WarMonger

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#12320 Posted on: 11/08/2001 08:26 AM
the point is that some people actually ARE reporting it not working in some systems, or have problems with xp's. I agree that they should them completely. this nonsense where some work and some dont is just a pain for the people experimenting with cheap systems.

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Plasma SMP
Unregistered

#12321 Posted on: 11/08/2001 01:20 PM
Has anyone tested the XP 1900's in a DP setup? If they do, I plan on purchasing a couple of them. If not, gimme a hammer to nail in AMD's coffin... I have After Effects files to render!

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invi[tus
Has Cat5e On The Brain

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#12322 Posted on: 11/08/2001 01:42 PM
I have a hard time believing this comment,

"AMD is saying the Athlon XP is for uni-processor systems only"

Because AMD's website says under "Key Architectural Features of the AMD Athlon
The Itanium -"Most expensive disaster in the history of high tech." - Sun Microsystems Inc.

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freezone
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#12323 Posted on: 11/08/2001 04:17 PM
With the economy the way it is, why not just sell procs? They just want to force us to buy their blessing and support? I bet if you had a real smp issue that getting through to AMD would be pure hell. And to be honest my time is worth more than sitting on the phone for 2-3 hours.
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xylker
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#12324 Posted on: 11/08/2001 09:56 PM
Not so much that they want US to pay for their blessing and support; but that THEY don't want to have to pay for YOUR half-assed Athlon XP in Tiger MP solution that you sold for a pitance to a formerly loyal intel customer...

The essence of removing support for XP and qualifying Hardware for MP is to ensure that their highly vulnerable reputation is not tarnished by a system integrator/OEM making a system that fails miserably at the customer's site.

I don't believe that AMD gives a damn about us toying with their CPU's testing them in off the wall configurations, etc. They are tacitly happy that there are enthusiasts like us out there that want their product. See the xppcentral gig for proof. AMD is absolutely head-over-heels in love with us, but will not / can not admit it in an open forum.

So if AMD is hush hush I have no problem. If they go out of their way to break the smp in the xp, then I have a problem. I will just stick with intel. If I am going to get screwed i would rather it be by the best.
24 inch dell e6600 3gigs pc6400 abit IN9 32X-MAX
150gig raptor bfg 8800gtx

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Wil
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#12326 Posted on: 11/09/2001 09:07 AM
I have only one problem, yesterday at my PC
shop I dropped in 2 XP 1700+ in my tiger and that effectively
killed my WinXP load and every attempt to install W2K or XP
results in BSOD. I put the 1.4G TBirds back in and same problem.

Processors, RAM, and SCSI card/drives check out ok on other MB.
PS is 300Watt Sparkle and checks out ok. Bios is V103- latest. CPUs
are boxed not OEM.

New MB will be here Mon. I guess we'll try again. Any feedback
would be appreciated.

Thanks, Wil
Computersmiths, Inc.

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sponz
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#12327 Posted on: 11/09/2001 06:22 PM
I would try a bigger power supply. You might just need a 400 watt+.
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Wil
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Joined: 2001-11-08

#12328 Posted on: 11/09/2001 10:21 PM
Yea I thought about that but the palimino core I thought
were supposed to take less power. At least I see a few
people have had a similar experience.

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sponz
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#12329 Posted on: 11/09/2001 10:22 PM
I'd still try a bigger PS.
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jupp
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#12330 Posted on: 11/10/2001 06:05 PM
Hello,

I'm writing this on a Tyan Tiger S2460 with two AMD XP 1700+. Both run fine (as can be seen with perfmon under W2K) without any problem. The BIOS reports them as "AMD MP 1700+".

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#12332 Posted on: 11/14/2001 07:45 AM
I reflashed back to ver.102 but no luck. And I got the new board
yesterday amd the same dam error. Ordering MP chips tomorrow.
I'm burnt out on this problem

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sponz
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#12333 Posted on: 11/14/2001 06:53 PM
Have you tried a bigger power supply yet? I tried mine on a 300 watt just for grins and giggles and it did not work.
Can I have a dollar?
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heatware under sponz